Looking back on 2009, I've blogged about half as much as I have the previous two years. Which isn't hugely surprising, as this year marked my return to Melboure, after two and a half years living in Darwin. In retrospect:
January: Watched rain fall. Worked on my paper for Somerset on how I've made librarianship "work" for me, and wonder if I've been fooling myself. Favourite read: On the Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta
February: Had an amazing weekend in Melbourne. Spent time socialising (with librarians), brunching and dancing, then attended a bookgig with Simmone Howell and Justine Larbalestier. Three days later, after returning to Darwin, and spending a morning trying to get to work via unreliable buses and being stranded in monsoon showers, my brain finally broke and I made the decision to move back to Melbourne. Favourite read: Love is Hell - Marr/Westerfeld/Larbalestier/Zevin/Stolarz
March: Packed up my few belongings, and finished up at the Northern Territory Library. Spent a week at the Somerset Celebration of Literature, where I presented my first conference paper, performed in front of a crowd of C&YA writers and publishers, and met and hung out with a bunch of awesome people. Moved to Melbourne, comforted by the knowledge that I'd probably see many of these people around the place a bit more. Favourite read: Unwind - Neal Shusterman (the best YA book that totally slipped under the radar in Australia this year)
April: Started a new life, and new career in Melbourne, working on a Reader Development project at the State Library of Melbourne. Spending time around the Centre for Youth Literature certainly inflamed my love for YA literature, and confirmed what I already knew - that I needed to move into youth librarianship. Also started working rostered weekends as a casual librarian at the City of Boroondara Library Service. Favourite read: Liar - Justine Larbalestier
May: Continued working at SLV, although my work there was coming to completion. Hung around and helped out at the Reading Matters conference, and met some of the world's best (and nicest) contemporary YA writers. Favourite read: The London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd
June: My project work at SLV was over, and with a heap of spare time on my hands, I decided to escape from Melbourne's winter chill, and went to Vanuatu. I visited my "cousin" (and fellow librarian) Romany, who was working as an AYAD volunteer in a remote school library. Favourite read: Look Who's Morphing - Tom Cho
July: In the bleak midwinter... I wasn't so much unemployed, but rather "time-rich". Whilst I kept an eye out for a dream job, nothing much was catching my attention, and I was determine to hold out for something that I could happily stay in for at least a few years. Instead, I spent this month writing and performing a new show at the Butterfly Club. I also volunteered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, and saw many awesome (and some not-so-awesome) fillums. Favourite read: The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
August: The first week was engulfed with MIFF, and then after some much-needed detoxing and sleeping, I returned to SLV to help facilitate the launch of the Inky Awards, and chair a number of panel sessions at the Melbourne Writer's Festival. Finally, I capped off the month with a visit to Darwin at the peak of the dry season, and remind myself that there were still many awesome things about living in Darwin. Favourite read: If I Stay - Gayle Forman
September: With my birthday marking my official existence as a Thirty-something, and my savings starting to dwindle, I started some more serious job-searching-and-applying, although I still listened to my instincts. Fortunately, a temporary opportunity arose to work full-time at the City of Boroondara Library Service, offsetting my impending need to commit to a permanent job. Favourite read: Jarvis 24 - David Metzenthen
October: I've been a librarian for three years now. Disillusionment starts setting in. I question a lot of things, like whether anything of this library stuff really matters, or makes a difference, and whether I'm really ever going to find a job that will engage and fulfil me and my community in the way that I want it to. Favourite read: The Devil's Lexicon - Sara Rees Brennan
November: My full-time work at Boroondara finishes up, and I focus my efforts on polishing up a piece that I've written for the Short + Sweet Cabaret Festival. And although I didn't make the finals, I met quite a few awesome people, and there's always a thrill from getting praise from complete strangers. I get a few job interviews, but no job. Oh, and we get an eviction notice from our landlord. But in spite of all this, life doesn't feel so bad. Especially when the Inky Awards are announced, and we're all reminded about how awesome the world is. Favourite read: Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
December: Everything changes. I find a new house to move into, and on the day I move, I have a job interview for a position managing a school library, only 15 minutes away from my new house. I get the job. Days later, I have an interview for admission for the Professional Writing & Editing course at RMIT. I get accepted. I visit Sydney and perform at the Annual Cabaret Showcase. Trevor Ashley sees my performance and invites me to perform at Showqueen some time next year. Next year is going to bring its own share of challenges, but I'm ready to take them on, because it's going to be awesome. Favourite read: Things we didn't see coming - Steven Amsterdam
Bring on 2010!
